Reality TV Star to Share his Inspirational Story from Surgery to “Survivor”

Bethlehem, Pa., September 20, 2007—Former Survivor contestant Chad Crittenden will tell his story of triumph over adversity when he visits Moravian College on Wednesday, September 26, at 7:30 p.m., in Prosser Auditorium. Admission is free and the program is open to the public.

Crittenden shocked viewers when he revealed on the show that he had only one leg. A year and a half prior to the show, Crittenden had his leg amputated below the knee to remove a rare yet deadly form of cancer. His recovery was miraculously quick; he completed a triathlon nine months after the surgery and made it through to the final rounds of the popular reality show.

Crittenden was among one of the finalists and his talk at Moravian will emphasize what it takes to survive. By telling students his story from surgery to Survivor, Crittenden will help them understand that overcoming obstacles is a normal part of life. By looking at obstacles as "problems" with solutions, he hopes to empower students to keep a positive attitude when confronting challenges. His realistic optimism, confidence, and self-assuredness serve as an example to individuals that are deterred by self-doubt. Crittenden will also discuss the importance of taking risks, giving back to your community, and discovering new opportunities to grow. His message and personal experience will show students how they can "discover the will to survive."

In the Survivor show contestants are abandoned in some of the most remote and unforgiving places on the planet. Divided into teams, they compete in challenges and every three days the losing team or “tribe” must trek to Tribal Council to vote off one of their own. Halfway through the game, the game shifts to individual competitions when the tribes merge and become one, making the game “every man for himself.”

Crittenden’ talk is sponsored by The Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Student Affairs at Moravian College. Prosser Auditorium is located in the Haupert Union Building, near the corner of Locust and Monocacy streets in Bethlehem, Pa. For more information, call 610-861-1365 or visit Moravian on the Web at www.moravian.edu.

Moravian College is a private, coeducational, selective liberal arts college located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its founding to 1742, it is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college. Visit the Web site at www.moravian.edu.